Improvement in chestnut-cleaning machines



N. B. LITTLE.

CHESTNUT CLEANING MACHINE.

Patented Apri118.1876.

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".PETERS, PHQTO-UTHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON D C STATES UNITE PATENT @FFIoa NELSON B. LITTLE, OF CHICAGO, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY T. BARNES, OF

WASHBURN, ILLINOIS. Y

IMPROVEMENT IN CHESTNUT-CLEANING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176, [42, dated April 18, 1876; application filed December 23, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELsoN B. LITTLE, of the city of Chicago, in the county ofGook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machine for Cleaning Chestnuts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the a companying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a machine for cleaning chestnuts, and removing from them the dust-worms and fuzzy material that usually surrounds them, which machine is composed of a barrelshaped cylinder surrounded by a metallic perforated covering, within which revolves ashaft with heaters.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal cross-section through the center of the same, said machine being arranged for use upon the top of the barrel 0.

A A represent the cylinder-heads, to which are secured the metallic perforated coverings O D. Theperforations O are of much smaller size than those of D, and the inner surface of the former is rough, and presents comparatively a sharp surface similar to a grater. The perforations or holes D are located at the lower part of the cylinder, and the size of the holes being much greater than in O, and more smooth, the dust and dirt, worms, 800., find through them an easy mode of exit. The shaft G is secured in any suitable way within and to the cylinder, and has attached to one end of the same the crank g to turn it. Upon said shaft are adjusted the arms or heaters F arranged as shown in Fig. 1. A lid or door, E, is hinged and secured to the top of the cylinder, through which the chestnuts are delivered to the interior of the cylinder. When they are thus placed the shaft is revolved rapidly, and drives the chestnuts in contact with the rough grater-like surface of the covering, thus removing from the chestnuts all superliuous matter, which is expelled through the larger openings D in the lower portion of the cylinder. When the chestnuts are thus cleaned the drawer a is withdrawn, and the chesnuts fall within the barrel upon which the machine is placed.

Fig.2is an end view of the machine, and Fig. 3 shows acyliuder without the inner shaft, and it may be desired on some occasions to omit the latter and revolve the cylinder, whereby analogous results would be obtained, as it would be constructed in all respects, ex cept the shaft, asis seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 4is also an end View, showing the support for one end of the shaft and the locality of the drawer or slide a in the bottom of the cylinder.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the shaft G, having the alternate arrangement of projecting arms or beaters F, with the cylinder A composed of the finely-perforated metallic grater coveringG and metallic cover D, with larger per foratious, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the cylinder A, constructed with perforate sections, as described, having a door, E, with the longitudinal slide a, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NELSON B. LITTLE.

Witnesses:

PHILANDER F. CHASE, ELBRIDGE O. PIERCE. 

